


You Are Not Ape

by Mauryn (tate886)



Category: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-11 05:01:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4422383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tate886/pseuds/Mauryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his betrayal of Caesar and attack on the humans, can Koba's daughter Mary learn to live with her father's actions and return to the Ape colony? Or will she be outcast forever? Set right after Dawn with some flashback to events in Dawn. . Blue Eyes, Maurice, Caesar, OC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Orphaned

1

Orphaned

 

 

The young female ape carefully picked her way through the twisted metal at the base of the human’s building. She knew there wasn’t much time.

 

It did not take her long. She found his body, and bit back a feral scream of sheer grief. He lay broken and lifeless on the ground, his limbs tangled amongst twisted human wreckage, his side bloody.

 

“Father?” she whispered.

 

Mary reached out and touched Koba’s throat then his cheek. He was gone, there was no response at all.

 

The young Ape girl flung herself across Koba’s body and began to sob brokenly. She stayed there with him for as long as she could, then she heard the others. Someone had noticed she was missing, and they were coming for her.

 

It felt like she was leaving something vital in her being behind to leave him there, but the young female Ape ran, ran as if her life depended on it. She took herself as far away from the group as she could in this new strange human landscape.

 

Her Father had challenged Caesar, and now he was dead. Her possible future Mate was also dead, and by her Father’s own hand. And young Mary, daughter of Koba, was terrified. She had never felt so alone.

 

From her hiding place, she could hear the long carrying call of Teacher, the old Orangutan, Maurice. The old darling was deliberately searching for her, and directing more than a few others to search for her as well. Mary knew he would find her eventually. But for now, she ignored his anxious summons. Even more than Caesar’s potential wrath, which even Mary knew existed mostly in her imagination, she feared Maurice’s kindness. She held good control of herself for now. Father had always taught her to control her emotions, to be strong no matter what, to never ever show weakness to anyone. But one kind word or gentle gesture from Maurice would do her in, completely.

 

_You … are … not … ape!_

 

Those dreadful words still made her shiver. Caesar had proclaimed this of her Father. So Mary also assumed that this meant that she was no longer Ape, too. After all, she was Koba’s daughter, by adoption if not by blood. But then, if she was no longer ape, what was she?

 

_Apes together strong._

 

This was probably the one thing that Caesar and her Father had totally agreed upon. So, in Mary’s shocked mind, not being ape made her weak, easy prey now.

 

Mary clenched her fists and gave vent to an involuntary low growl deep in her throat. Her hair bristled all over her body. No, she would not be weak. She would not be easy prey for anyone or anything! She would not cower here and wait for Caesar’s judgment on her. Even worse, she could not return to him and the others to suffer their pity.

 

But before she could move to run again, a strong firm hand came out of the darkness. It grasped her shoulder, and Mary shrieked in terror. She did not care who the hand belonged to, did not stop to look back. Tearing out of the grip, the young female ran yet again.

 

* * *

 

 

The scream was so loud that it froze Rocket in place. For a few seconds, he stood staring numbly at his empty outstretched hand. He had not expected that reaction from Mary. Sweet little Mary, who he and many others hoped might be his daughter by mating someday.

 

The female’s scream brought many others, including Maurice, on the run.

 

“What happened here?” Maurice signed to Rocket. “Where is she?”

 

The older chimp shook his head, looking surprised and bewildered and even a little hurt.

 

“She-she ran away,” Rocket signed. “She didn’t even look at me. Just screamed and ran away, Maurice.”

 

The old Orangutan put a comforting hand on Rocket’s shoulder. Maurice heaved a heavy sigh. Poor child, he thought kindly. She must be utterly terrified by now.

 

“I should never have allowed her to watch what happened between her Father and Caesar,” Maurice signed sadly to Rocket and the others around him.

 

“I’ll go get her.”

 

Blue Eyes had joined the little group. He cast a quick sad look at Rocket, then turned his attention back to Maurice.

 

Maurice looked uncertain.

 

“Father says it’s okay,” Blue Eyes signed. “Maybe she won’t be so scared if it’s just me.”

 

“You have a good point,” Maurice agreed reluctantly. “Be careful, and call if you need help.”

 

“Yes Uncle.”

 

As Blue Eyes disappeared in to the distance, Maurice hoped they hadn’t just lost yet another child. They had already lost far too much today.

 

 

* * *

 

She did not expect that _he_ would be the one to come after her, not Caesar’s son. It turned in to a real chase. Blue Eyes found Mary easily enough, but was literally forced to chase and corner her in one of the human buildings. The young male Ape knew better than to try and physically restrain Mary, however. Mary had a gentle nature, but Koba had taught his only child to fight well when necessary. Most males in her generation had felt her wrath at one time or another for teasing her. Though she was small for her age and usually sweet and quiet, she could be almost as tough and strong as a male when pushed. Blue Eyes did not need anyone to tell him that Mary was far beyond just pushed right now.

 

“Just go away, Blue Eyes!” Mary growled out loud furiously. She always spoke out loud more than signed.

 

“Why are you mad at me?” Caesar’s son signed calmly.

 

Mary growled in frustration.

 

“Go away!” she spoke angrily again.“You are not our Leader yet so don’t tell me what to do, Blue Eyes. Go back to Caesar and leave me alone!”

 

“I didn’t tell you what to do. But why are you mad at me?” Blue Eyes repeated the signing stubbornly.

 

“Why do you keep asking?” Mary wanted to know.

 

“Because you haven’t answered yet,” Blue Eyes signed, his face deadly serious. In that moment, Looking at him, Mary could see so much of his Father in him.

 

“I’m not mad at you, Blue eyes. I’m mad at … Oh, never mind! Just go away,” Mary spoke wearily.

 

Instead of complying, Blue Eyes seated himself directly in front of her, effectively denying her request He also effectively blocked her way out in that one simple gesture.

 

“You scared poor Rocket half to death,” Blue Eyes signed solemnly.

 

“What? Rocket? Where?”

 

“He found you first.”

 

‘Oh, that was Rocket?”

 

Her eyes filled with tears. Mary bowed her head shamefully, but fearing to take her eyes off Blue Eyes for too long, she looked up quickly.

 

“I-I didn’t know,” she signed, her hands trembling visibly and her throat now to choked up to speak. “I didn’t look to see. Will you go tell Rocket I’m sorry.”

 

“No, I won’t. I think he would rather hear it from you,” Blue Eyes signed to her.

“He really wants to know you’re okay.”

 

Mary stiffened and vehemently shook her head.

 

“Maurice is worried about you, too,” Blue Eyes went on relentlessly.

 

Mary opened her mouth to proclaim that she did not care, but silently closed it again. Everyone knew how much she loved old Maurice. Saying she did not care, well, that would be a lie. Mary did not lie.

 

The two young apes sat in silence for a time. Then, Mary launched herself at Blue Eyes. She leaped in to the air above him, meaning to take him by surprise and go over his head and escape. But she did not leap quite fast or far enough. The Ape Prince also leaped, and caught the smaller female by her ankles, dragging her down. The two youngsters collapsed in a tangled heap on the floor.

 

Mary did not remember struggling furiously with Blue Eyes. She did not even remember screaming and beginning to hit him savagely. Her next clear memory was of the two of them seated on the hard cold human made floor. Blue Eyes arms were wrapped tightly around her, and she was sobbing brokenly against his newly scarred chest while he gently stroked the top of her head.


	2. Conflicted

2

Conflicted

 

 

Eventually, Mary’s tears ran out. She gently pulled herself from Blue Eyes’ embrace and sat back, staring up at him with moist eyes and a forlorn expression.

 

“I ... I can’t go back,” she told Blue Eyes haltingly. “I ... just can’t—“

 

Blue eyes raised his hands to sign.

 

“Mary, Father won’t—“ he started to object.

 

Mary cut him off with a low snarl.

 

“It doesn’t matter what Caesar will or won’t do!” she exclaimed.

 

Taking a deep shuddering breath, the young female tried to get better control of herself and her words.

 

“It matters what I might or might not do, blue Eyes,” she went on more quietly.

I don’t know how I can face him again. I don’t know that I won’t do something stupid ... or say something stupid ... and then Caesar really will take all choice out of my hands. I ... I don’t expect you to understand.”

 

 _Ash would have understood_ , Mary thought. She bit savagely at her lower lip to hold back the tears.

 

“I ... I do … understand ... I think.”

 

Mary gaped at him. Blue Eyes was speaking out loud now?

 

“What ... when did you start to ...”

 

Caesar’s son shrugged and tried to look as if it were nothing.

 

“It ... doesn’t matter,” he went on, speaking haltingly but very clearly.

“Alright ... if you won’t come and talk with Father ... come ... and talk to Maurice and Rocket then?”

 

“Maurice will tell me to come back,” Mary protested, growing visibly agitated all over again.

 

Blue Eyes shook his head.

 

“Maurice ... never tells us what to do ... He just ... offers good advice. Neither of them will ... will force you back against your will.”

 

Mary glared at Blue Eyes, obviously unconvinced.

 

“Please, Mary,” Blue Eyes said softly.

 

Her resolve began to crumble.

 

 

In the end, Mary had no idea how she let him talk her in to coming with him. But she soon found herself next to Caesar’s son, making their way back through the human buildings towards … she didn’t know exactly where he was taking her, and silently berated herself for not thinking to ask. What if he were taking her straight back to meet with Caesar?

 

 _No_ , Mary decided. Blue Eyes would not do that to her. But why did he not just let her go then? She still was not sure that meeting with Maurice would be much better. And how could she face Rocket, knowing what her Father had done to Rocket’s son, to her dear Ash?

 

Mary halted, and tried to let Blue Eyes get farther ahead. But the son of Caesar was not having it. He also stopped, waiting with an infuriating patience.

 

“Alright, I’m coming,” Mary told him dejectedly, and began to move again.

 

* * *

 

 

Rocket paced endlessly. At first Maurice ignored this, but eventually it got on his nerves.

 

“Please, Rocket, he will be back soon,” the old Orangutan signed insistently.

 

Rocket stopped his pacing in front of Maurice.

 

“You know how lightning quick Mary is,” he reminded his old friend. “Maybe he just can’t catch her, Maurice. None of the children could ever catch Mary, except—“

 

Rocket’s hands trembled and he stopped signing, clenching both hands in to fists, and breathing deeply.

 

“Mary … let Ash catch her,” Maurice said out loud, his deep voice a very gentle rumble.

 

“I know,” Rocket signed back after he’d managed to unclench his fists. “And that’s my point. Maybe Blue Eyes just can’t—“

 

Both apes froze. They heard faint sounds. The Children were coming back, definitely two of them.

 

* * *

 

 

Mary had feared Maurice’s gentle nature would undo her composure. But it was not Maurice who reached her first.

 

“Mary!” Rocket cried. He dodged Maurice’s restraining hand and bounded towards the children. Before Mary could react, Ash’s father caught her in a tight embrace.

 

He pulled her hard against his chest. Mary squirmed, and not just from the emotional discomfort.

 

“Can’t breathe, Rocket,” she gasped.

 

The older chimp loosened his grip on the young girl, but he did not let her go altogether. In surprise, Mary felt as much as heard Rocket’s voice.

 

“Alright?” he asked?

 

 _What? Were all Apes talking out loud now? Why now?_ Mary wondered. For years her nickname had been chatterbox. Mary had always preferred speaking out loud to signing, and before now, the only two apes who had so easily spoken out loud with her had been Caesar and her adopted Father.

 

Feeling another hand on her shoulder Mary turned her head to see Maurice hovering anxiously behind her and Rocket.

 

“Cracked ribs?” he asked.

 

Mary gave a tearful little laugh.

 

“Likely,” she answered Maurice, and tried to twist free from Rocket. Again, he loosened his grip, but did not release it.

 

Gently, Maurice pried Rocket off of the young Ape girl. He kept one hand on her shoulder, however, and turned her to now face him.

 

“Mary, Caesar—“ Maurice began to sign with one hand.

 

Mary stiffened. Maurice gently increased his pressure on her shoulder, so she forced herself to relax. She did shoot a glare over at Blue Eyes, though.

 

The Orangutan took the other hand off her shoulder to sign.

 

“Caesar does want to talk with you, Mary,” Maurice told her.

She opened her mouth to protest, but the old Orangutan held up a silencing hand.

“ But not just now.”

 

Mary blinked.

 

“He knows you need time,” Maurice continued to sign, his dear old face a mask of his deep concern even as he made comforting sounds for the young ape girl. “If you will come back, for now, Caesar has promised he will not approach you. He is not demanding you to supplicate to him. But we all want you back, Mary. We are still your family. But, if you need a more solid reason, for now, we need help with the wounded. You have always worked so well with injured apes and animals. Come back for now and help us, Mary? Once that’s done, you can decide further what to do.”

 

“Please?”

 

Maurice spoke this last plea out loud, his deep voice a gentle and sad purr.

 

“Yes, please,” both Blue Eyes and Rocket echoed out loud.

 

Mary’s eyes filled with tears again.

 

“Not fair,” she sniffed.

 

All the males simply nodded their agreement at her, and waited for her answer.


	3. The Unspeakable Gift

3

The Unspeakable Gift

 

“Alright,” Mary answered them finally. “I—I will come back and help the wounded. But I make no promises after that,” she said, speaking ostensibly to them all, but looking directly at Maurice.

 

The old Orangutan gave her a grave nod.

 

“That’s fair enough,” he signed to her sadly.

 

“Well, why are we still standing here?” Mary demanded. “If we’re going, let’s go then. Has Caesar moved the wounded? Are any of the females or children hurt?”

 

Having sneaked away from the group of females and young almost as soon as her Father and the males were out of sight, no mean task with Cornelia practically keeping Mary clamped by her side the whole time, Mary did not know the condition of that group.

 

“I don’t think there are any serious injuries,” Maurice signed as they began to move. “Just some minor scrapes, and some very old and very young are exhausted.”

 

Mary ground her teeth. She gave an uncharacteristic low growl of suppressed fury. How could her Father have done all this? How could everyone’s life get turned so completely upside-down in so short a time. Was it just a few days ago when the humans got their pretty lights back on, and things were looking so hopeful for them all, apes and humans alike?

 

Mary was so upset that she even entertained the unthinkable idea that it might have been her Father who shot Caesar. She had seen Koba and one of his friends start the village fires. Could he also have shot Caesar and blamed the humans?

 

Mary half turned to Blue Eyes and opened her mouth, ready to ask him that horrible question. But the distraught Ape girl could not bring herself to ask it. Even after all that she had seen her Father do, all the horrible cruelty and brutality to the humans that he both allowed and even participated in himself, she just could not ask that question. She was not sure she ever wanted to know the answer. Not yet, maybe not ever.

 

Blue Eyes gave her a questioning look, but Mary simply shook her head and said nothing at all.

 

They all moved on.

 

* * *

 

Just as it appeared Mary would meekly follow the males back to the main gathering of apes, she froze in her tracks.

 

“What?” they all started to sign at her, but she interrupted them with a horrified gasp.

 

“Oh, no! I forgot about—“

 

Whirling to one side, Mary suddenly broke from the three males and tore off in completely the opposite direction. How long had it been? Was she too late?

 

It occurred to her, even as she ran and jumped and swung in her near panic, that she might need help from these males. So, reluctantly, Mary slowed her pace, but not by very much, and looked to see if they were following her.

 

“Mary!” Blue Eyes and Rocket called after her. They all feared she had decided to bolt after all.

 

“Come,” the young Ape girls light voice came back to them. “Come, please. Help?”

 

Maurice and Rocket both looked at Blue Eyes. They did not need to sign their question, both their faces said it all.

 

Blue Eyes simply shrugged. He had no idea what was going on. He usually did not know exactly what was going on with Mary. They did not call her Mystery Mary sometimes for nothing. Getting in to Mary’s head was always Ash’s department. Blue Eyes and Mary were good friends, almost like brother and sister, but as far as the young Ape prince knew, only Ash was her private confidant among the children. And Ash could not help them now.

 

_And I did not help Ash_ , blue Eyes blamed himself.

 

As if sensing Blue Eyes’ train of thought, Rocket moved beside the young Ape and put his hand on the boys’ shoulder. He meant it to be comforting, but it only made Blue Eyes feel even worse.

 

Meanwhile, Mary was getting farther and farther ahead. The small slender Ape girl was so fast!

 

“You two catch up with us,” Maurice signed to the other two. Before either Rocket or Blue Eyes could react, the old Orangutan left up, caught hold of a beam, and began to make good strides in catching up with the fleeing Mary. He soon left the other two far behind.

 

Blue Eyes blinked. It never ceased to amaze him how one of his oldest Uncles could move almost like a youngling when he wanted to.

 

Now that both Mary and Maurice were gone, this left him alone with Rocket, however. This made blue Eyes very uncomfortable. He could not really look at Rocket and not think of his best friend, Ash, and how he had failed Rocket’s son.

 

“Guess we’d better hurry up,” he signed.

 

Rocket looked for a moment as if he wanted to object, but at the sound of a distant call from Maurice, he changed his mind. The two males rushed forward, following Maurice’s call.

 

* * *

 

Maurice caught up to a very distraught Mary. They were outside of one of the human apartments. The ape girl was hurling herself at a door which remained stubbornly closed.

 

“NO! He locked it!” Mary cried, beating her fists and kicking uselessly at the closed door. “He locked it!”

 

Putting his hands on the girls’ shoulders, Maurice drew Mary gently away from the door.

 

“Stop that!” the old Orangutan gently admonished the younger ape. “You’ll hurt yourself. Where are the keys?”

 

Mary gulped, tears sliding down her face.

 

“Daddy had them,” she whispered brokenly. “I don’t know where they are now!”

 

Maurice heaved a heavy sigh. He should have known. Now what was on the other side of this door that was driving poor Mary out of her mind with worry?

 

“Stand back, little one,” Maurice told the ape girl.

 

Reluctantly, Mary obeyed.

 

Maurice hit the door as hard as he could a few times. It shook and rattled ominously in its frame, but refused to open.

 

Giving up, he turned back to Mary.

 

“I’ll call the others,” he signed.

 

“Others?” Mary tensed visibly.

 

Then, at Mary’s sign of growing distress, Maurice went on quickly in his low rumbling voice, “I mean Rocket and Blue Eyes. Those others”

 

This seemed to calm the girl a bit, and Maurice sent out his summoning call to guide the other two to their location.

 

They arrived quickly, and Maurice directed them. It took four simultaneous hits by all three males together before the wood around the locks splintered with a sharp cracking sound, and the door crashed open. Wasting no time in explanations, Mary leaped over the debris and dashed in to the interior, leaving the others to trail behind her.

 

Mary ran to a small back bedroom of the human apartment. She went to a small enclosed bed in the far corner, bent down, and gently lifted something in to her arms. The something whimpered softly, and Mary made soft cooing noises of comfort.

 

It was a few moments before she realized that the males had followed her in.

 

Very slowly, Mary turned to her companions, and held out the tiny bundle. Turning back the blanket, she revealed the scrunched up face of a tiny human infant.

 

Rocket made a startled noise deep in his throat. Blue Eyes just stared in frozen silent amazement.

 

“What?” Maurice asked softly. “Where… Mary, what is this?”

 

“A human youngling,” Mary said softly.

 

“How did you get her? Or him?” Maurice asked the girl even more gently. He approached and lightly touched the baby’s head with his fingertips. The baby gurgled at him.

 

Mary was trembling now from head to foot, mostly from the effort of keeping her own emotions under tight control. She could not look Maurice in the eyes as she answered him.

 

“Daddy… he gave her to me as a…a…a p--”

 

Mary gulped, and looked down in to the tiny trusting little face of the newborn human baby girl. She just could not say it out loud, She could not force herself to say the word pet.

 

“Her Mother gave birth and died in the human’s pen,” she told Maurice haltingly. “I…I tried to save her Mother, Maurice! I really did try! But she bled too much. Then, Daddy took this baby and told me to keep her as a—“

 

“Alright, little one,” Maurice stopped the girl. She did not want to say it, and Maurice was not sure if he could stand to hear it, either.

 

“I forgot all about her!” Mary said, her voice full of unshed tears. “After Dad…after Caesar defeated him, I forgot about her.”

 

Maurice put his arm around Mary and the human baby.

 

“Blue Eyes, you stay here with Mary,” Maurice signed. ‘Mary, I am sorry, my d but, well, Caesar must know about this right away.”

 

Biting hard at her lower lip, Mary nodded mutely.

 

Maurice gently guided Mary to sit on another small human bed in the room. Blue Eyes sat down beside her, and put his arm about her waist. The two young apes sat there in silence and Mary gently rocked the human baby as Maurice and Rocket left to find Caesar.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caesar learns that his friend Koba's treachery has no depths.

4

UNTITLED

 

"Koba … did… what?"

Caesar stared at his oldest friend. He could barely believe what Maurice was telling him. Even after everything, he could barely believe it. But Maurice did not lie.

"It's true, Caesar," Rocket signed, chiming in. "Blue Eyes is up there with Mary and the human baby right now."

"What baby?

As Caesar's head was still reeling a little from this news, Cornelia, with her and Caesar's youngest son clinging to her pelt, came up to join them.

Caesar took a deep breath, and turned to his wife.

"Maurice says that Koba took a newborn human baby from its dead Mother and gave her to Mary…as a pet."

Cornelia growled, her fur bristling in anger.

"I…know," Caesar spoke softly, putting an arm about his wife.

"Take us to them," he told Maurice.

* * *

The baby began to whine, insistently. Mary frowned.

"She has to be hungry. Here, hold her while I go get her milk?"

"What? No! Mary, I-" Blue eyes tried to protest, But Mary had already gently pushed the baby at him.

"Here, hold her head like this. Be careful of that soft spot. I'll be back."

Blue Eyes sat stiff and rigid on the human bed. He was more nervous than he had ever been in his life as he cradled this tiny fragile creature in his arms. He heard Mary rummaging around in another room, and just hoped she would not be too long.

A soft sound from the doorway made Blue Eyes look up. He met his Mother's amazed eyes. Cornelia beamed with pride at her oldest boy.

The young ape watched as his Mother entered the room, followed closely by his Father and Maurice. The apes all clustered around the human bed.

:Where … is Mary?" Caesar asked quietly.

Automatically, Blue Eyes tried to sign, but he couldn't and hold the baby at the same time.

Getting milk…for her," he replied, glancing down at the baby.

"What .. is her name?" Cornelia asked.

"She doesn't have one yet." Mary had come back in to the room. Avoiding looking straight at Caesar, she directed her comments to Cornelia, instead.

"Her mother died before she could name her."

Mary relieved Blue Eyes of his burden, sat down on the bed next to him, and began carefully feeding the baby from a bottle.

"This is the last," Mary said worriedly. "Then there is no more milk for her." The young ape girl glanced pleadingly at Cornelia.

"Aunt Cornelia, could you ask one of our females if… if they could feed her, please?"

Mary's face fell as Cornelia firmly shook her head. Caesar started to step in, but Cornelia held up a hand, asking her husband to wait. She sat down on the bed and put an arm about Mary.

"I won't ask another female. I will feed her myself, if that is alright with you, Dear."

"Your…yourself?" Mary repeated, stunned.

Cornelia laughed gently. "Don't look so surprised. I have plenty for both my little one and this little one, too. I've done this before. I fed you and Blue Eyes at about the same time."

Mary and Blue Eyes glanced at Cornelia, shared a startled look between themselves. Then, they both blushed."

"She should have a name," Cornelia started to say as she gently stroked the human babies head. But a commotion down below caught everyone's attention.

"Rocket, stay here with them," Caesar signed as he and Maurice went to see what was going wrong now.

* * *

As Caesar and Maurice ran from the building, a piercing human scream cut through the air.

"CAESAR! They're coming!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Thanks to Weezy815 for all her great inspirations. Please check out her fics on this site.
> 
> Welcome back any long time suffering readers. I will honestly try and update more often, and with longer chapters.
> 
> And welcome to any new readers. Your comments, and PM's are always welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

Cornelia finished feeding the baby, and handed her tenderly back to Mary. The Ape girl sat tensely, but the baby made soft cooing noises and wriggled closer to her chest.

 

Cornelia put an arm about the now orphaned Ape girl, and began to softly groom her light fur. Mary knew her favorite Aunt was trying to sooth her, but she just could not relax much, not even in Cornelia's loving presence.

 

What was probably going wrong now! It seemed that ever since her Father had betrayed Caesar, betrayed them all, that everything was going wrong at once.

 

_Our home is burned! Ash is dead! Papa's dead! He started a war with the humans who want us all dead! Nothing will ever be right again!_

 

Mary began to cry quietly. Cornelia tried to take the girl in her arms, but when Mary resisted, the Ape Queen did not force the matter.

 

A moment later, Caesar re-entered the room, three humans following close behind him.

 

"Ellie?" Mary asked, raising a tear-stained face to gaze at the human woman who had saved Cornelia's life.

 

Mary did not protest as Ellie came nearer. The human woman reached out one hand and gently touched the soft spot on the baby's head.

 

"Oh, she's so precious," Ellie cooed. "I … I didn't believe it when Caesar told me. How old is she?"

 

"A couple of days," Mary said bleakly.

 

"May I please examine her?" Ellie asked.

 

Mary frowned.

 

"I just wanted to see if she needs medicine or anything, I promise. I won't even take her out of your sight," Ellie said.

 

Mary handed the infant over to her, and watched intently as the human examined the child from head to toe.

 

"She's very healthy," Ellie praised, smiling fondly at Mary. "You've had her since she was born?"

 

Mary nodded.

 

"Well, you've done a great job. As far as I can tell she's just fine."

Everyone in the room seem to relax a little bit at that announcement.

 

"Mary is one of our best when it comes to caring for the Young-lings," Cornelia pronounced, causing the Ape girl's muzzle to go very pink with embarrassment.

 

* * *

 

 

A short time later, Caesar drew Cornelia out of the room.

"How is she?" he asked. "Mary, I mean."

 

"She's terrified, Caesar," Cornelia told her husband honestly.

 

Caesar bowed his head. For one moment, a few tears welled up in his eyes. Koba had been his most trusted and strongest warrior. And dear little Mary was like the daughter he and Cornelia had never produced. She and Blue Eyes often acted like brother and sister with their harmless squabbling.

 

Koba had never taken a Mate, though more than a few females had offered once he was known to be caring for Mary. But Koba must have known their offer was only to get to the child and not because they wanted him. So, Mary had no official Mother, though Cornelia and her closest attendants always did their best for her.

 

And now, he had had to take her Father away from her, too.

 

"Scared … of me?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

 

Cornelia's hesitation was all the answer he needed.

 

"Caesar, I think Mary believes what you said to Koba you mean for her, too," she told her husband as gently as she could.

 

Caesar straightened up suddenly then, looking honestly stunned.

 

"She does not—" he began.

 

But Cornelia nodded sadly.

 

Caesar started to push past her back towards the room where Mary and the baby and the others waited. But, Cornelia reached out and gripped her husband's arm, holding him back with a gentle but firm grip.

 

"Please Caesar … not yet," the Queen pleaded. "She's frightened and grieving and angry. You are, too, my husband. I know you grieve for what had to happen with Koba even if you can't admit that to anyone else. Please, don't do anything that will force you or her in to something you both will regret."

 

"I don't want her to hate me, Cornelia," Caesar growled in anguished frustration.

 

"I know. So, please don't force her hand, not right now. Not when everything is so … so raw for all of us."

 

"Mary will be cared for. Rocket and his wife practically want to take her in right now. And, Maurice will have her in his home if she will go with him. Even the human, Ellie, seems to be attached to her. We, all of us, will care for her, as much as she'll let us. And you will do it to, Caesar. You will just have to … do it from a distance for a while."

 

Caesar did not like that. But what he hated most was that Cornelia was right.

 

Cornelia forced a smile.

 

"You'll just have to let Maurice hug her for now, like I know you want to do, yourself."

 

Caesar huffed out a bitter sounding laugh.

 

"Maurice has the arms for it more than me," he admitted.

 

Cornelia hooted her own soft laughter, and placed her head against her husband's chest. He held her to him for a moment, then reluctantly drew away.

 

"I've sent out scouts to find the safest place for you and our women and young," Caesar told his wife. "If she will go, make sure Mary's with you."

 

"What about the human baby?" Cornelia asked. "You won't take her away from Mary, will you, Caesar?"

 

"No, not yet … not unless I have to," Caesar said sadly.

Cornelia nodded, and went back in the room.

 

* * *

 

_a/n:_

thanks to all my readers who are hanging in there with me. And, welcome to all my new readers as well. Keep the reviews and/or PM's coming, folks. It's great motivation.


	6. Chapter 6

Mary was nearly exhausted. There were so many wounded, not to mention just plain shocked Apes to care for that there weren't enough women to go around, let alone full-fledged Ape Healers. The young Ape girl was close to becoming the latter, but still did not consider herself as such.

 

Thanks to Ellie, Mary could keep the baby with her. She could not cling to Mary's fur like an Ape baby, but she rested comfortably in a sling Mary wore across her back. She could not remember exactly what Ellie had called the contraption, but blessed it nevertheless.

 

_I had no idea little human babies were so helpless_ , Mary thought.

 

"You also were," someone signed right next to her as if reading her thoughts.

 

Mary jumped. She was practically falling asleep on her feet with exhaustion.

 

And, Aunt Cornelia did not look much better, Mary realized, seeing finally which female Ape had spoken to her.

 

"Was I," Mary asked.

"But Ape babies are not— "

 

"Yes, I know," Cornelia gently interrupted the girl before she could finish her thought out loud. "Don't worry about it, dear. We cared for you just fine until you caught up and bloomed. You're Father carried you around in something that looks very much like what you're using now until you could cling. Anyhow, you'll be able to do the same with this little dear."

 

"Hope," Mary spoke the word gently.

 

"Hope?" Cornelia asked.

 

"I … I thought I'd call her Hope," Mary explained.

 

Caesar's wife beamed at the young Ape.

 

"Oh, it's perfect! I love that name!" she signed happily. "Caesar will love it, too."

 

Quite deliberately, Mary did not comment on what Caesar would or would not love. She was not ready to think about that, yet. She was not like her Father, naming this baby after a human to please Caesar that way her Father had done. Well, partially done. Koba had told Mary about what little he could remember about the human Mary for whom she was named. It was not much, but he did remember. He had forbidden Mary to share those memories with anyone, and she had not, not even with Ash.

 

"You should rest too, Aunt Cornelia," Mary told Caesar's wife, none too subtly changing the subject from the Ape Leader. "Ellie's medicine is magic, but you are still recovering, yourself. And he's already a handful," she added as the Ape baby peered at her from where he clung to his Mother. Mary patted Cornelia's youngest on top of his head, and he hooted softly at her and gently stroked her fur. He seemed captivated by the long soft almost blonde fur on Mary's head.

 

"Little charmer, like your brother," Mary murmured to the baby, who seemed to like what he heard, flashing wide innocent eyes at her.

 

Cornelia only gave her a tired smile.

 

"All hands are needed here. If I can help, I will."

 

"Bring her to me in a bit," the Ape Queen added, looking over Mary's shoulder at the sleeping baby. "She will need feeding soon, and I shall rest a bit then."

 

Mary thanked Cornelia. Then, the two separated and she kept trudging doggedly forward, doing everything she could for her people. Even though, in some cases, the site of her was not welcomed to some Apes. She could almost feel the hatred coming off some of them, especially those who lost someone in her Father's attack on THE HUMAN CITY.

 

Aunt Cornelia had had to quiet more than one Ape who reacted badly to the sight of Mary. And, much to Mary's total astonishment, Caesar's wife was not alone in that support. There were many others who either openly showed their friendship for Mary or who, if not making any outward show of friendship, hushed others who obviously did not feel the same way.

 

One of the most welcome supporters for Mary was Rocket's wife, Tinker, who was to be Mary's future Mother by mating, and who apparently was determined to crack whatever ribs Rocket might have missed with his powerful hug earlier.

 

"My Ash loved you. We love you. you are not to blame for what your Father did, little Daughter," Tinker had signed to her after letting go, making Mary tear up with happiness. "Please, don't go and live with Maurice. You come and live with us once things are more settled?"

 

And, then there was Lake.

 

Lake was a stunningly beautiful female Ape in Mary's own generation. She had never teased Mary mercilessly like a few of the other children, but she had also never openly defended Mary, until now.

 

Sitting down on the floor in an empty corner, Mary had drifted off in an exhausted dose, only to be awakened violently sometime later by an Ape female jerking her up by the long fur on her head.

Still with a fistful of Mary's fur, the older larger female gorilla loomed over the younger Ape, snarling down at her.

 

"My husband and son are dead, daughter of Koba.

 

The gorilla's grip was tight enough to hurt a lot. Normally, Mary wood not have hesitated to stand up with her own bared teeth and snarl and her own words, even against the much larger and older female. But, she had the human baby to think about now, and held herself back from the fight with an effort. She returned the older female's stony gaze, refusing to even wince from the pain the gorilla was causing her.

 

"OH, so Koba's little foundling monster is quiet, is she?" the older female named Josie jeered. "You barely shut up since you first learned to talk, think you're better because talk, and now you nothing to say to me?"

 

"I am sorry," Mary said simply.

What else could she say. She truly was sorry and heart-sick. She said it for Josie and anyone else who was listening … and many now were, Mary realized. A crowd of Apes was forming behind them.

 

Mary felt the other apes approaching, and braced herself for a fight.

 

_If they hurt hope, they will pay for it!_

 

Still she did not take her eyes off Josie. To do so might invite the other female to attack.

 

"Sorry!" the older gorilla shrieked out loud.

She was working herself up in to a near frenzy, loosing what little bit of vocal speech she possessed and signing was obviously becoming more difficult for her as her one free hand shook with rage.

 

"You're sorry! They should have left you in the forest to die where Koba found you! They—"

 

Mary wished with all her heart that she did not have the helpless human baby strapped to her back.

 

A low growl came from behind her. Mary tried to turn her head for a second and Josie lunged. The larger Ape dragged the smaller female towards her, ripping out a good chunk of Mary's hair and scratching her head badly in the process. Mary shrieked from pain and anger. She just managed to kick out at the enraged gorilla, knocking her off-balance, before dodging to one side, tearing out even more of her own hair as Josie's fist was torn free, and letting the enraged female sprawl past her on her own momentum. Josie's momentum took her right past Mary and right in to the arms of the waiting crowd.

 

The crowd seem to have no interest in attacking either Mary or baby Hope.

 

Blood was running in to Mary's eyes. She rubbed at them even as she heard a brief scuffle. Finally clearing her vision, Mary could see many of the older females dragging Josie back in to the crowd, glowering at the still fuming gorilla.

 

But Mary realized that even more apes were surrounding her.

 

"you're bleeding. Let me help you."

 

It was Lake.

 

Mary gaped in astonishment at her former rival, though the rivalry had always been in Lake's mind. Ignoring Lake's request, Mary held up a hand. What was going on with Josie?

 

"Sit down, Josie," came a low double rumble.

 

Two truly ancient gorilla females, Luca's aunts, twin's names Sonya and Kira, were holding the younger female firmly between them and scowling down at her. Given the bent and gnarled nature of these two females, Mary was amazed by what grips they still had, strong ones, given the pained expression on Josie's face.

 

_Good, let them tear out some of her fur_ , Mary thought a bit vengefully.

 

"That one will be trouble for you."

 

Lake was standing next to Mary. She put a very hesitant hand on Mary's shoulder. Then, she removed the hand and tried to groom some of Mary's fur over that raw spot on her head. Once that was done, Lake began to sign.

 

"Human babies can sleep through anything, I guess," Lake signed, grinning back at the baby.

 

"That Josie's going to be trouble for you," she added. "but don't worry. I'll watch your back. We all will."

 

Lake turned her head and other females from her own age stepped forward to gently touch Mary's shoulder and then line up protectively around her and Lake.

 

Mary felt tears coming in to her eyes again. Impulsively, she hugged Lake, and did not resist when Lake gently drew their foreheads together. A drop or two of Mary's blood got in to Lake's fur, but the other paid it no mind.

 

"Apes together strong," Mary whispered.

 

Lake and the group of young females nodded.

 

"Apes together strong," they all signed in unison. Then, Lake added, "Females together even stronger."

 

This brought a chorus of tired laughter among all the Apes in the room.

 

Sonya had born the still angry Josie away somewhere, but old Kira came up to Mary now.

"You sit down, rest, child," the elder told the younger Ape firmly. "You too, Lake. Both of you rest, I will guard."

 

Lake led Mary back to the corner where she had been resting, and true to her word, Kira planted herself directly in front of the two younger females, protecting them, a big furry wall

 

Sitting down, and feeling as weary as dear old Kira and Sonya usually looked, Mary slipped the straps of the baby carrier from her back, and cradled little Hope in her arms as she settled on the floor. Lake settled beside her.

 

"May I?" Lake asked.

 

Mary nodded, and Lake put a gentle hand on the babies' head. She drew it back quickly, though.

 

"Soft," she signed, startled.

 

"Ellie says that's normal," Mary told Lake about the soft spot on the babies' head. "Ellie says it will close up in a few more days."

 

Lake gazed in wonder at the human child.

 

"She is so helpless. She Can't even cling yet? How do humans survive. What will you name her, Mary?"

 

"I've named her Hope," Mary told Lake.

 

Lake also beamed at hearing the name.

 

"It's perfect," she signed.

 

"Yes," old Kira rumbled from in front of them. "Hope is always good … good baby, too. Brave baby.""

 

"If Caesar lets me keep her," Mary sighed. She was obviously still expecting punishment from the Ape Leader.

 

"You know how Caesar feels about humans," Lake said. "Why wouldn't he let you keep her?"

 

For a moment, Mary felt a small flair of irritation. Of course, she knew how Caesar felt about humans. That was what made her Father do what he …

 

But Mary stopped that thought before it began. No, as much as she wanted to, she could not blame Caesar for any of Koba's actions. She could blame him for killing Koba maybe, but not for what Koba had done to start it all.

 

"I don't know," Mary said, sounding tired and defeated.

 

Her eyes were already starting to close, though. She was barely aware as Lake put an arm around her, letting the forlorn, exhausted and newly orphaned Ape girl rest her head against Lake's shoulder. Very gently, Lake began to rock Mary and little Hope back and forth even as her own eyes slid shut from exhaustion.


	7. Chapter 7

Ash and Blue Eyes were fishing. Or, they were supposed to be, but mostly they were playing and teasing one another. Both boys seemed totally unaware that just above them in the top of the trees lurked a tiny slender waiting figure. She was grinning as she spied down on the boys, watching patiently from her hiding place.

_Come on now, just a little_ closer, she silently urged one of them. _Come on … that’s it … a little more …_

When one of the boys was directly beneath her, the girl opened her hands, dropping a small load of plant leaves sticky with tree sap down on the boys’ head. The leaves clung to his fur.

Both boys hooted in alarm before they heard the light giggles from above them.

“Mary!” Ash cried.

Blue Eyes was openly laughing as Mary poked her face out from behind a limb, her eyes flashing mischievously.

“Careless boys,” she teased. “Slow boys.”

“You knew about this,” Mary watched Ash sign to his friend. “You helped her set me up, again!”

Blue Eyes was too convulsed with laughing to respond. What Ash claimed was true, but Mary knew she could count on Blue Eyes not to admit it. Blue was her faithful brother, well, like brother.

Ash playfully shoved Blue Eyes to try and get the Ape Prince to shut up, but that only made it worse.

“I’ll get you later,” Ash signed to his friend.

Then, he grabbed a handful of the sticky leaves from the ground, and scrambled up the tree towards Mary. She let him get within touching distance of her before hooting with laughter and flitting away with ease.

“You come back here,” Ash went to sign, but he almost fell out of the tree doing so.

Mary laughed harder, and Ash growled and plunged off after her. She led him on a merry little chase, letting him get within an arm’s reach before she darted away, until they were at a small secluded pool. Mary dropped out of the tree, landing gracefully in the middle of the shallow pool, and waved happily to her oncoming friend.

“What are you waiting for?” she asked him, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. She cupped her small hands and flung cool water over ash’s face. “I’m right here.”

With another mock snarl, Ash plunged in after her. This time, instead of running away, she charged straight at him, flinging herself on top of him and giving them both a serious dunking in the cool water.

“Are you trying to drown me or what?” Ash spluttered and signed when she finally let him up.

“Aw, my poor boy,” Mary’s light voice dripped with false sympathy.

When the ripples settled, both young Apes caught site of each other’s reflections in the water and burst out laughing at the same time.

Keeping one arm around him, Mary led Ash from the pool. The two young Apes scaled a nearby tree together. They both shook to clear their fur of most of the water. But Mary was still shivering a little, so Ash pulled her smaller form close and they huddled together on a thick branch. Mary began to groom him, carefully picking out almost every bit of the leaves she’d pelted him with earlier. After a little while, Ash returned her grooming gestures.

And they lost all track of time.

A little while later, a light rumble and another hoot caught their attention. They Sprung apart from one another, and Looking around a little fearfully, Mary spotted both Maurice and, surprisingly Lake, coming towards them through the trees.

“Well there you are, Children,” Maurice signed, openly grinning at the flushed pair. “You two were planning on joining the rest of us for the evening meal tonight, weren’t you? Your Mother wants you Ash, and Mary, your Father will be looking for you very soon, too. Blue Eyes can’t keep him distracted forever, you know.”

The two young Apes took a moment to gape at Maurice. Then, Ash and Maurice began to sign back and forth, but Mary’s eyes were fixed only on Lake. The pretty Chimp had the oddest expression on her face as she stared first at Ash and then at Mary. Mary could almost see a revelation coming over the other’s features

“You really meant it, didn’t you,” was all Lake signed to Mary.

Before Mary could respond with either sign or speech, Lake came forward, hugged her, then with several happy hoots, sped off back to the main part of the village. By her movements, Mary almost expected to see her begin to do summersaults through the trees

“I’ll see you later, Mary,” Ash signed. He quickly pressed his muzzle to Mary’s cheek than ran off before she could protest.

Maurice was openly chuckling now, not even trying to hide it.

“Put some cool water on your face, Dear,” Maurice gravely advised Koba’s daughter. “You’re blushing rather prettily.”

Of course, that only made Mary blush even more.

* * *

 

A few days later, it was looking like such a peaceful morning. Cornelia had given birth the day before to Caesar’s new son. The whole village was still celebrating, though cautiously. Though she and the baby had both survived the birth, Cornelia was very sick. But everyone was still carefully optimistic and happy. Even Koba seemed much more cheerful than usual.

First came the sharp sound that was a little like thunder, but not quite. Then, a few moments later …

“GO! Go, go, go!”

_Caesar … and papa!_

Then, the long-extended roar of the Apes split the peace and silence of the forest yet again. It roused Mary from where she was tending her little flower garden by her home. She had been weaving together the long stems of flowers she intended to give to Cornelia and the new baby. Her gift was not just for ornamentation. The scent of the plants should help Cornelia to breathe better, too. But the young Ape girl abandoned her task and ran around to the front in time to see Blue Eyes and Ash and Rocket. And someone was hurt.

“Ash?” she gasped, falling in to step next to Rocket, who was hurrying his son off to the Healer’s hut. Blood seeped from the fingers Ash had pressed to his shoulder, and Rocket was in a state of rage.

“Humans,” Rocket growled. “Humans shot my son!”

Mary hooted in alarm, her eyes going wide with surprise. Elbowing Blue Eyes out of the way, she moved quickly to Ash’s other side to help Rocket support him. Even through his pain and shock, Ash still managed to grin aside at Mary. She smiled shyly back at him.

Fortunately, the human was apparently a very bad shot, and it was only a scratch. But, it was the beginning of all the things still to come. And much more blood would be shed and very soon. As they entered the Healing Hut, the scene suddenly shifted. Rocket was no longer there, and it was no longer the Healing Hut. Mary now crouched over Ash’s body in the human city, blood pooling around his head.

* * *

 

 

“Ash!”

Mary jerked awake with a gasp and a small cry. As her eyes came back in to focus, she was surprised to find Luca standing in front of her. The big gorilla was gazing down at her and Lake and baby Hope with the gentlest expression on his heavy face.

“Will you please come with me, Mary?” the big gorilla signed. “Best leave the infant here, though.”

Reaching down one huge hand. Luca gently helped Mary to her feet and steadied her as she swayed a little.

Mary clutched Hope tighter against her chest.

“But I can’t! Who will watch her?” Mary protested. Was this some way Caesar had of separating her from the human baby?

“I’ll watch her.”

Lake was also awake, brought out of her own thin sleep by Mary’s cry. “If you’ll just show me how to hold her?”

Reluctantly, Mary handed the baby to Lake. She showed Lake how to handle the fragile human infant.

“Support her head, she can’t hold it up. And be careful of that soft spot,” Mary advised, sounding for all the world like a nervous new mother.

“And, If I’m not back in a few minutes, take her to Cornelia,” she added. “If she starts to whimper, take her sooner. She’ll be hungry soon, and need to nurse.”

The other nodded, and feeling both curious and worried, Mary left with Luca. It was not long before she realized Luca was leading her out of the city.

“What’s this about, Uncle,” Mary asked. “Where are we going?”

“Maurice wants you,” was all that Luca would say, rather mysteriously. But there was almost an expression of great sadness or pity in his eyes when he looked at her.

_Oh, what is it now_ , Mary wondered as she mutely followed Luca past the human city limits. The gorilla led the girl out to a small stand of trees. Maurice sat and waited for them beneath the largest tree. His head was bowed, and he held something in his arms. As they drew closer, Mary’s eyes widened. It was wrapped in a human’s bed sheet, but she knew what it was right away.

“Papa?” Mary sobbed, tearing out of Luca’s gentle grip and running up to Maurice. “What are you doing with him?” she cried indignantly, flinging herself down next to Maurice, and coming as close as she had ever done to glaring at the old Orangutan in anger.

But when Maurice raised his bowed head from Koba’s body, Mary instantly felt ashamed of her reactions towards him.

“I thought that you would not want to leave him there, in that broken human wreckage,” Maurice signed mournfully. “I knew you would not ask any of us to help, so, we found this place. I’ve made a bed for him, up there.”

He pointed to the top of the tallest tree where a beautiful nest now sat empty.

“If it’s not to your liking, I can change it.”

Sadly, Mary began to climb towards Maurice’s new construction. But she quailed visibly as Maurice moved to join her, meaning to put Koba’s body down on the cold hard ground. Seeing the girls’ distress, Luca came forward and held out his arm so Maurice could place her Father’s body in them. Then, the old Orangutan joined Mary in the top of the tree while Luca waited patiently below them.

“You did all this?”

Mary was astounded. Everyone knew what good builder’s orangutans were. There was hardly an Ape home in their village that at least one Orangutan had not had a hand in designing or constructing. And Maurice was one of the best, better even than a few Orangutans who were even older than him. But for old Maurice to do all this so quickly, it was amazing.

“Thank you,” Mary whispered, perching on the edge of the nest and hugging Maurice very tightly.

“Your Father was our dear friend once, Child,” Maurice gently reminded the girl as he held her close and stroked her head. “He saved all our lives, more than once, during the human firestorm. Didn’t he ever tell you about it?”

Mary shook her head.

“Well, remind me to tell you the stories, sometime. But you are also still our friend, and family, our daughter, even. Family does for family, no matter what. Even when … when one of them goes badly astray.”

_Badly_ astray, Mary thought. _Maurice did have a talent for understatement, sometimes._

Mary let go of Maurice. She watched as he climbed down the tree, and Luca handed her Father’s body up to him. Scampering down quickly to help, she and Maurice bore Koba to the top of the tree. Maurice helped the girl arrange the body in the nest.

“We’ll leave you alone for a bit,” Maurice sighed. “Call if you need us.”

The Orangutan climbed down the tree again, and took himself and Luca to the edge of the trees where they could still be within hearing distance if she called out.

* * *

 

Once she knew Maurice and Luca had retreated to a polite distance, Mary lay down next to her Father’s body. She wrapped herself around him, pressing her forehead against his through the thin sheet.

As she sobbed quietly, emotions and memories threatened to overwhelm her. She struggled to make the good memories Come. There were many of them.  but they would not come, no matter how hard she tried. All that would fill her mind was blood, Ash’s blood, her Father’s, the wounded, everyone’s. Mary was afraid that blood would not leave her site for the rest of her life, that it would haunt her even in her sleep.

Opening her mouth, the poor grieving Ape girl tried to say, “goodbye, Papa. “I love you.” But the words stuck in her throat, and all she could do was keen out her grief. Eventually, though, she turned her wordless keening in to one of her songs. It was a tune she had used often to sooth her Father after he had one of his many nightmares. As she sang, her voice grew stronger until it even reached Maurice and Luca. She did not know where this sudden strength came from, and she did not care. It was the last song she could sing to her Father, and she intended to make it a good one.

Mary finished her song of mourning just as the sun was beginning to set. Sorrowfully, she covered her Father with the softest leaves she could find, and began to climb back down the tree. But something at the top of the nest caught her eye.

Scrambling back up to the top, she saw that Maurice had added one final touch. Around the top of the tree, the orangutan carved these words:

_Here lies Koba,_

_Our lost brother and fallen friend,_

_And most beloved Father of Mary._

_May his strength now live within his beloved daughter,_

_And may his tortured spirit find the peace in death that was denied to him in life._

Mary sprang briefly back in to her Father’s resting place, and kissed his forehead.

“I love you, Papa,” she whispered. “Sleep well.”

Then she ran down the tree, almost falling the last few feet in her haste. But her Uncle Luca was there and the gorilla easily caught the tumbling girl in his arms, and carried her back to Maurice.

* * *

 

From a very carefully concealed hiding place, Caesar watched Maurice and Luca at their sad task. It was killing him to heed Cornelia’s advice and not help. And when Mary was brought to the tree, he almost forgot everything Cornelia had said and went rushing out to the girl’s side. But, he restrained himself, with an effort. Though when the girl’s sad song reached even him, it almost broke him and he, too, began to cry quietly as she sang

Once Luca and Maurice had led Mary away back toward the females’ temporary den, Caesar left his hiding place. He stood for a long time at the base of the tree, then slowly climbed to its silent occupant. Leaning forward, he laid one hand on Koba’s shoulder

“this is my fault. I failed you, my old friend,” Caesar whispered. “I would not listen to your warnings, and I have failed you. But I swear on my blood that I will not fail our people.”

The Ape Leader drew in a slow breath.

“I swear to you, Koba, though she may hate me for the rest of our lives. I will not fail your daughter.”

He bowed his head over Koba’s body one last time. Then, the Ape Leader regained his stoic and stern expression and leaped away to the nearest tree. He went back in to the city to his people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that starts to keep my promise for more flashbacks. Okay, they were really dreams, but whose counting? LOL!
> 
> Hope everyone is still enjoying the story.
> 
> Thanks go to all my loyal readers, and a big welcome to any and all new ones.
> 
> remember to leave reviews or PMs whenever you can. All comments are so appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

If Mary had hoped to be able to slip back in to the city with no fuss, and even less notice, like the rest of her hopes and dreams, this too would be dashed. But at least the letdown was of a gentler nature, and not so dire this time.

“Maurice?”

Mary stopped as she and her two Uncles heard the Orangutan’s name being called. She watched as Maurice fell back a little, then the sound of low human voices came to her and Luca’s ears. After a few moments, Maurice gave a low grunt. She and Luca turned, and Maurice beckoned Mary back to him. She looked questioningly at Luca, but the huge silver-back just shrugged.

She was in a hurry to get back to Hope and Lake, not wanting to stick Lake with the human baby’s care for longer than necessary. Still, curiosity getting the better of her, Mary walked back to where Maurice stood with three humans. As she drew closer, she saw it was Malcolm and Ellie and Malcolm’s son. All the human’s eyes were very wet. Ellie was still weeping a little.

“What’s wrong?” Mary asked out loud.

“They heard your song,” Maurice signed to the young Ape girl. “Just a warning, if they heard you, then I’m guessing a lot of the Apes did, too. Our hearing is sometimes a lot better, you know.”

Inwardly, Mary groaned.

Maurice patted her shoulder as Malcolm stepped forward. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Ellie rushed ahead of him, and flung her arms about Mary.

“That … that was the most beautiful thing I ever heard,” the human woman sniffed. “I am so sorry, Mary.”

Mary gently returned Ellie’s hug. When she reached up and put a hand on the back of the human’s neck, Ellie allowed the young Ape to gently draw their foreheads together. When they drew apart, Mary was amazed by the tender expression on Ellie’s pretty face.

“Uh, Alexander has something he wants to give to you,” Ellie told her quietly.

Mary looked away from Ellie, and caught the human boy’s eye. He was smiling at her shyly. She returned his smile, then she released Ellie, and walked slowly towards him.

“Hi, Alexander,” Mary carefully pronounced the boy’s name. “What … what do you have for me?” she went on quietly, very curious now.

Back home and through Maurice, she had had some good conversations with the boy, mostly about his art, and that Mary liked to draw as well whenever she had the time and the equipment. But they had never spoken to one another without Maurice in the middle before now. The boy had been too shy, and Mary had feared her Father’s wrath if he caught her mingling too much with the younger human. He had attacked Alexander once before for no good reason. Unless Mary suspicions were right, and he had done it because of her.

Looking around, Mary was slightly annoyed to see that all four of the adults, Alexander’s Father, Ellie and even Maurice and Luca, had drawn away a little as if giving the youngsters some privacy. Alexander caught her looking, and followed her gaze. She thought he was annoyed by the adult’s actions, too.

She waited for the boy to speak, but his shyness seemed to be taking over again. With all that happened recently, Mary thought she had some idea how he felt. She did not want to talk to other Apes nearly as much as she used to, either.

Slowly, Mary held out her hand to him, and waited for reaction.

He placed a long round tube of paper in her hand.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Open it,” the boy encouraged her.

Very carefully, Mary unrolled the paper, and gave a small cry of joy when the drawing unfolded. It was a remarkably life like drawing of Ash and herself. She clutched the drawing to her chest, and beamed at Alexander.

“OH, Alexander. It is … it is so beautiful?” the Ape girl gasped. ‘But why … did you do this for me?”

“Well, actually, your friend asked me to draw that for you,” Alexander admitted.

“That’s very like Maurice,” Mary began.

‘No, not Maurice,” Alexander corrected her. “Your friend there, in the drawing.”

Mary blinked.

“Ash … asked you to do this?”

The boy nodded.

“Well, he spoke through Maurice, but yeah, I think that’s close to what he wanted.”

Mary blinked back a few tears.

“Oh, it’s almost perfect,” she exclaimed.

“Almost?” Alexander asked, looking a little crestfallen. “What’s wrong. I can probably fix it.”

Mary held out the drawing. It was so lifelike she could almost expect Ash to come bounding off the page at her. She pointed to Alexander’s depiction of herself.

“Not me. Too pretty,” she told the boy.

Alexander blushed and looked bashfully down at his feet. Then Mary was surprised when he looked up in to her eyes again.

“Really? I … I didn’t think I drew you pretty enough,” he muttered. “But drawing supplies are hard to find these days.”

It was Mary’s turn to blush and stare quickly down at her feet.

After a moment of awkward silence between them, Mary put her free hand gently on Alexander’s shoulder. The boy reached up, and she tensed, expecting him to shove her hand away. But instead, he simply placed his hand over hers.

“Maurice told me … he said your friend in the picture, that he died,” Alexander said after a moment. “I’m sorry. I … I hope that helps you to remember him”

“Thank you,” Mary murmured sadly.

Their hands drifted down from Alexander’s shoulder, but were still entwined. Before they even realized it, the two-young people, ape girl and human boy, began walking back in to the city together. Mary wondered if she should be letting the boy hold her hand that way, but he was being so nice, she couldn’t bring herself to be the one who pulled away first. And it felt good to have someone’s hand to hold. Now Mary knew why Maurice and Karin held hands so much … or she thought she had in inkling. A human hand could be very comforting.

“Did you know him, your friend, a long time?” Alexander asked hesitantly.

Mary swallowed hard.

“We grew up together,” Mary told the boy. ‘Always together, Ash and me.”

“That must have been nice,” Alexander commented. “Wish I had a nice girlfriend I could’ve grown up with, too. Or even a sister would have been okay, I guess.”

“Isn’t Ellie your Mother?” Mary asked.

Alexander shook his head.

“No, she’s Dad’s, uh, well, lover I guess. They aren’t legally married, not yet.”

“Do you want them to be?” Mary asked.

“I guess I wouldn’t mind,” Alexander told her. “Ellie’s really terrific, not my Mom of course, but she’s so nice. And she loves Dad a lot.”

“You too,” Mary put in. ‘She loves you too. I see how she looks at you, that’s why I thought she was your Mother.”

“Where … where is your Mother,” Alexander asked.

“I don’t have one Mother,” Mary told him. “Papa never would take a mate. All the women of our village helped Papa raise me. I guess Cornelia is the closest I have, she is Caesar’s wife. She treats me like her own daughter.”

“But, even so … and even if you do really love them, it isn’t quite the same, is it?” Alexander said.

Mary was amazed by the boy’s observant nature. She nodded ever so slightly.

‘My mom … she died,” Alexander said simply. “When I was little.”

Mary felt a sudden sharp stab of sympathy for the boy.

“But at least I still had Dad, and then Dad found Ellie. I do love Ellie, but—”

“As you say, it isn’t quite the same,” Mary murmured.

She stopped and turned to face Alexander. The two stood for a long time in total silence, just holding on to each other’s hands and gazing in to one another’s eyes.

‘Hey, wait up, you two,” Malcolm called out.

All the adults, ape and human, were now striding towards them. Both she and the human boy jumped a little guiltily, though Mary did not quite understand why. They dropped each other’s hands in unison, but did not step far apart. She did not know if he knew it or even meant to be, but Alexander had been more comforting to her in the last few moments then all the compassionate well-meaning apes had been, except for Maurice and Luca, who had literally gone out of their way to be extra consoling

“slow up for the old folks, hey buddy,” Malcolm teased his son. But Mary thought she caught a look of concern flicker across the man’s face. Had he seen them holding hands? And did he object?

_Oh boy, Papa sure would have_ , Mary thought. She shivered, thinking she could almost now feel her Father’s stern and accusing glare at her back.

“did you like the drawing, Mary, is it?” Malcolm asked.

Mary held it out proudly and beamed again at Alexander.

“Yes, Sir,” she told Malcolm. “Your son is very good. And so kind to draw this for me.”

“He’s been looking forward to giving it to you for hours,” Ellie put in as she joined them.

The human woman shot Malcolm a look Mary did not quite understand, but it seemed to be warning.

“We’d better be getting back, Alexander,” Malcolm told his son.

Ignoring another sharp look that Ellie flung towards Malcolm, Mary stepped towards the older human man.

“Are you leaving the city now?” Mary asked quickly. “I was hoping, maybe, alexander and I could … maybe talk some more.”

“No, we’re not leaving yet,” Malcolm told her, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. “But I think Caesar’s gonna ship us out soon, whether we want to go or not.”

If she had not felt so suddenly sad at the thought of never seeing the humans again, especially either Ellie or Alexander, Mary would have laughed out loud at the nervous and cautious look Malcolm flung back to Luca. Whenever Caesar Ordered Malcolm to be escorted somewhere, physically and usually against his will, it almost always seemed to be big Luca who did it. Malcolm did not know how fortunate he was, but Mary knew what a gentle gorilla her Uncle was, most of the time. Having Luca lift him up and take him places was, she knew, Caesar’s attempts to keep him safe.

‘Malcolm,” Ellie murmured, taking hold of Malcolm’s arm.

Mary and Alexander watched on as she stubbornly tugged him several steps ahead. They might have been out of alexander’s hearing, but Mary heard them quite clearly, every word.

“What’s the matter with you?” she heard Ellie hiss at him. “Let them be together a little while. What will it hurt?”

‘I don’t want him getting attached to—”

“An Ape?” Ellie whispered again angrily. “You don’t want him getting attached to an Ape girl? Christ, Malcolm, they were just holding hands and talking. With all that’s gone on, we all need a little comforting around here.”

‘Dammit, Ell, that’s not what I meant. I don’t want him getting attached to someone he won’t be able to see for much longer! Hasn’t he lost enough people in his life?”

Mary gave alexander a sad look.

I … I guess I’ll see you later, Alexander … maybe,” Mary remarked sadly.

She turned away quickly so Alexander would not see her tears, and ran back to where Luca and Maurice were walking. It was Luca this time who put his big arm around her shoulders. She leaned in to her gentle giant of an Uncle, but when they reached the entrance to the women’s quarters, Luca knelt in front of Mary.

“Don’t?” he signed, his expression tender. “Please don’t get too attached to that human boy, Princess. He’s a good human, but sometimes, getting attached to a human, even a very good and kind one … it can be a very painful thing, even when they don’t mean to hurt you.”

With that enigmatic statement, Luca trudged off, leaving a stunned Mary to stare in incomprehension at a sad-looking Maurice.

“He hasn’t called me Princess since I was little. But how would he know about human attachments and pain, Uncle?” she asked Maurice, not understanding at all.

“Never mind, dear,” Maurice signed still looking sad, and if Mary was right, more than a little guilty. “You’d best go check on Hope now, hadn’t you?”

Mary knew when her Orangutan Uncle did not want to talk about something. Normally, she would have pressed for more, but the times were far from normal.

“Yes, Uncle,” she murmured.

She left the Orangutan standing there, and with Alexander’s drawing still clutched to her chest, she went looking for Lake.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big hugs and thanks to all my readers, but especially those who have left comments. keep the feedback coming, folks. It's very appreciated.


	9. chapter 9

Caesar soon joined Maurice, who still stood looking after the disappearing Mary, a sad wistful expression in his eyes.

"Thank you and Luca … for helping her lay Koba to rest," Caesar said quietly.

"Luca and I were happy to do it. We both knew you would have done it, yourself, if it had been possible," Maurice answered his friend solemnly.

"I think almost everyone heard her song," Caesar commented as the ape girls' blonde head finally disappeared around a corner. She has grown up so fast," Caesar remarked, almost to himself.

Maurice nodded.

"Do you remember when we found her?" Caesar asked the Orangutan. "When … he … found her?"

* * *

 

The hunt was going very well that day, extraordinarily well. They had taken so much game they almost couldn't carry it back to the village fast enough. Caesar's part of the hunting party went on ahead, preparing to head back to the village. But Koba and some few others were still out, stalking.

There pray was finally in sight. Koba stood stock still, his spear at the ready, and then just as his kill would have been perfect, and would have brought down the biggest deer the apes had ever seen, he froze, letting it gallop past him.

"Why did you do that?" Gray signed angrily.

"Quiet!" Koba barked.

He held up a hand, his head cocked, listening to something.

"Did you hear that?" he asked Gray.

Gray and the closest apes around him only gaped at him and shook their heads, hearing nothing.

Koba had almost convinced himself that he had imagined it, when it came again, a short cry, gone almost as soon as his ear registered the sound.

"Wait here," he told the other apes.

It took nearly an hour as Koba tracked the intermittent sounds. And just when he was about to give up and sat slumped on the ground, feeling frustrated and defeated and a little sheepish for chasing ghosts, he saw it. One tiny little foot poked out from underneath a fallen log.

Koba gasped in shock, and bounded over to the fallen log. It did not take him long to free the owner of the foot. She was the skinniest saddest looking Ape infant girl child he had ever seen, not that he had seen many. But this poor little thing looked as if she did not have a cry left in her. Her ribs stuck out painfully beneath her almost hairless skin. The most fur she had was on her head and around her neck. A light orange ruff stuck out around her neck, Koba thought it looked almost like an Orangutan's fur. And on her head, was a thick shock of hair so blonde it was almost blindingly white.

Koba had never felt so frightened in all his life, not even in his time in the human's labs or being locked in Tommy's cage at home when Tommy was at his most drunken and violent. Trembling slightly, he held the baby tenderly in his hands. He had no mate yet and no children. He was not too sure what to do, so he let out a long loud distress call to draw the others to him. Caesar's wife had just given birth to the Ape leader's first son not more than two days before, and Rocket's wife was also expecting their first child at any moment. Koba thought maybe they might know what to do. But even as he let out his calls and he cradled the baby against his chest, she began to snuggle against him, whining very softly.

Something in Koba's damaged heart melted then. He began to slowly rock back and forth, holding the child close. She nuzzled at his chest, and he gave a gentle bark of a laugh.

"I Have no milk for you, my sweet one," he murmured to the child.

At the sound of his speaking out loud, the child snuggled even closer to him, and whimpered even more excitedly than before.

_She knows_ speech, Koba thought. _She is used to speech. How can this be?_

He continued to rock her very gently, and eventually with a little sigh, she gave up nuzzling at his chest, and simply buried her tiny muzzle in his fur. Something disturbed him, though. She made no motions to even try and cling to his fur.

Despite being the farthest away, Rocket and Caesar were the first to reach him.

"Koba, what's wrong? Are you hurt—" Rocket started to sign. He froze in surprise when he saw Koba cradling an Ape infant against his chest.

"Are … are we missing any young ones?" Koba asked, already knowing the answer.

Rocket shook his head, staring at Koba's find in wonder.

"Something is wrong. She can't cling," Koba muttered. He did not know much about taking care of infants, but he did know that they were supposed to be able to cling to an Ape's pelt not long after they were born. But this little bundle did not even seem to know how, or have the strength even if she did know.

"Where did you find her?" Rocket asked as Caesar came running up.

Koba pointed to the fallen log.

"Wedged under there," he told his friends worriedly. "No sign of Mother. None."

Rocket went to inspect the log as Caesar leaned in for a better look.

"Newborn," he said out loud. "Not much more than a newborn."

"Am … am I holding her right, Caesar?" Koba asked.

Caesar nodded.

She can't cling," Koba repeated. For some reason, this was what bothered him most about the strange infant.

"Maybe she is just too weak from hunger," Caesar suggested. "We'll take her back home, now," the Ape Leader decided.

Koba tried to hand the baby to Caesar, who also tried to take her. But the minute the scarred Ape pulled her from his chest, she began to whine pitifully, and it grew louder the further out he held her.

"You carry her," Caesar said, running one gentle finger through the Ape baby's thick blond hair. "She wants you, Koba. Rocket, Gray, Luca, you all stay for a bit. Fan out around this area. Keep looking for any signs of her Mother. If you find her, tell her we have her baby. Bring her if you can."

Koba and Caesar shared a look. They both feared that whomever this strange babies' Mother was that she might be dead. That was the only thing they could think of to explain the babies' hidden and abandoned condition. No Ape Mother would willingly abandon their baby.

"We will take her to Cornelia," Caesar told a worried Koba as they both headed back home at a run. "Cornelia will feed her, I'm sure.

But some time later, as Koba paced anxiously around the outside of Caesar's home, he heard the babies' distressed screams.

"Koba, come, now!" Caesar barked.

He was a little reluctant to enter Caesar's home and disturb Cornelia while she was nursing. But the sounds of distress from the baby urged him on even more than his Leader's commands. When he entered, Cornelia beckoned him to her bedside with insistent gestures. He glanced at Caesar, who only nodded in agreement.

Slowly, Koba approached the bed, and a very distressed Cornelia held out the wailing infant. The minute Koba stretched out one hand and touched the baby's head, she fell silent, her wails subsiding in to a soft panting.

"Oh, Koba," Cornelia signed, now that her hands were free. Her own first born clung to her pelt and gazed over at the noisy newcomer in his home with open curiosity. "She trembled so much! I was able to get her to feed a little, but she is terrified of me!"

Caesar put his arm about his distressed mate.

"No," he tried to comfort a quietly crying Cornelia. "She is terrified of any female Ape, Koba. Tinker and several of the other women also tried to take her, gorillas and Orangutans and our Chimpanzee women all tried, but they couldn't even touch her without her screaming her head off."

Koba jumped as Maurice stepped forward and began to sign. He'd been so upset by the babies crying that he had not even noticed the big orangutan was there in the corner.

"She only let Cornelia nurse her a little when Caesar started to speak to her out loud," Maurice took up the tale. "I can't imagine why she was so soothed. You would think the sound of speech would terrify her even more, but it seems to sooth her."

"And Maurice stroking her and cooing at her helped," Caesar added.

"She'd only take milk from me if the males were close around," Cornelia sniffed, finally getting herself back under a semblance of control.

And that phrase was what seemed to lead to Koba's becoming the Apes very first single Father in the entire village. Many of the women tried to put up a fuss at first, but Caesar and Cornelia calmed them, and Koba was permitted to raise the foundling baby he called Mary.

* * *

 

Maurice gave a low chuckle.

"Koba was so relieved when she finally started nursing from Cornelia without his presence," Maurice remarked, lost in the memories for a second.

"Never left her with Cornelia long though, did he," Caesar commented, remembering his tortured friend's total fear yet absolute devotion to that strange funny-looking infant. "I don't remember ever seeing Koba be so happy and gentle and patient with anyone, not even my Blue Eyes."

"and protective," Maurice went on, also remembering. "Overprotective. Remember the scolding he gave poor Luca for always tossing her up on his shoulders and galloping around the village like a wild horse? Then Luca started teaching her how to tame and ride those horses, remember, but not without Koba right there, always looking on."

"I missed that one. I remember him scolding Mary for standing upright on the horse's back while it ran," Caesar said. "But I also remember the scolding he gave you," Caesar gently teased his oldest friend. "For taking her up in to the tallest tree you could find and swinging one armed with her clinging to your back, upside-down."

"I had my other arm twisted round her the whole time," Maurice insisted. "He just didn't see that. And I was trying to forget that one," Maurice huffed.

Caesar gave a low chuckle, and the two started back in to the human ruins.

"Have you noticed," Maurice commented as they made their way through the streets. "How much her fur grew to look so much like Koba?"

"Except her head," Caesar agreed. "She still has that long blond hair. I had a human friend who had hair just like that. Well, at least she lost that hideous orange ruff around her neck."

"I beg your pardon," Maurice objected. "I was rather fond of that fur, myself."

"Sure, you liked it, because it looked a lot like yours," Caesar teased.

The two friends continued their walk-in silence, knowing that Mary's blond hair, her always upright and totally vocal nature, and the mystery of her true heritage was something they would likely never know. And, neither of them cared. Just like her Father Koba, they loved her, no matter whose child she really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a reader's request. Hpe everyone enjoyed it.  
> Thanks to everyone reading,and special thanks to anyone who leaves kudos and comments.


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